Everyone is familiar with the PYGA bike brand. Make that the PYGA mountain bike brand, that only makes full-suspension mountain bikes. The only South African company to design, manufacture and build its bikes in South Africa – from scratch. The current range is purely mid-range to top-end. There are currently five models, which have cool names, but not everyone knows exactly which model is suited to which kind of riding. So here’s the breakdown…
Paid partnership with PYGA Mountain Bikes
The PYGA brand is authentic, quirky and runs the strapline #Ride Different. This has different meanings for different riders but also calls out the fact that this is not a me-too brand What many don’t know, is that the name, PYGA is derived from the founder’s Chinese name and literally means “Patrick my Friend”.
Those that have been around for a while will know that PYGA was founded in 2012 by Pietermaritzburg-based bicycle craftsman, Patrick Morewood. The former three-time South African downhill champion that understands the South African market’s love affair with endurance racing. He has personally been manufacturing bicycles since the 1990’s so had the experience required to start designing lightweight XCO and marathon bikes with snappy acceleration, but gravity-level stability. And he’s been steadily working on bigger suspension travel bikes to reach the current bouquet of five models.
Many of us became aware of the PYGA brand through the professional racing team, PYGA EuroSteel. Phil Buys, who started the team, is a London Olympian, multiple national XCO champion, winner of most South African stage races, multiple Cape Epic stage winner and African Jersey winner.
He’s been joined in recent years by Matthys Beukes, Pieter du Toit, Philemon Sebona and Gert Heyns and they’ve confirmed, with consistency, that PYGA bikes are highly capable high-performance bikes, as good, if not better, as any big international brands. The PYGA EuroSteel team members have achieved most of their success on PYGA Stage and Stage Max models, but have more recently been aboard the new MOBU.
Each model stands firmly on its own, but blurs traditional mountain bike category lines, making it hard to know exactly where each fits into the range. So here’s a summary of the PYGA range that’s currently available.
STAGE
Ideal for: XC, Marathon, Stage Racing & Trail-riding
Travel: 110mm rear, 100-120mm fork
Frame: Carbon Fibre Smooth, accommodates two bottles
Geometry: 68.5-degree headtube | 75.0-degree seattube | PlusFive Chain Line
Wheelset: 29-inch (alloy or carbon)
Sizing: M, L, XL
More details here.
STAGE MAX
Ideal for: Marathon, Stage Racing & Trail-riding
Travel: 130mm rear, 140mm fork
Frame: Carbon Fibre Smooth, accommodates two bottles
Geometry: 68.5-degree headtube | 75.0-degree seattube | PlusFive offset
Wheelset: Deed 29-inch (alloy or carbon)
Sizing: M, L, XL
More details here.
MOBU Marathon (MOBU means ‘from the Earth/Soil’)
Ideal for: XC, Marathon & Stage Racing
Travel: 118mm rear, 120mm fork
Frame: Carbon Fibre Raw Weave, accommodates two bottles
Geometry: 67.0-degree headtube | 76.5-degree seattube | Plus 2.5mm offset | Flip Chip
Wheelset: Deed 29-inch (alloy or carbon)
Sizing: M, L, XL
Warranty: Lifetime on frame
Manufactured by BlackStone Tek in Northriding Johannesburg
More details here.
MOBU Trail (MOBU means ‘from the Earth/Soil’)
Ideal for: Trail & Down-country Riding
Travel: 135mm rear, 130-140mm fork
Frame: Carbon Fibre Raw Weave, accommodates two bottles
Geometry: 66.5-degree headtube | 76-degree seattube | Plus 2.5mm offset | Flip Chip
Wheelset: Deed 29-inch (alloy or carbon)
Sizing: M, L, XL
Warranty: Lifetime on frame
Manufactured by BlackStone Tek in Northriding Johannesburg
More details here.
HYRAX (Scientific name for African Rock Dassie)
Ideal for: Trail-riding & Enduro Racing
Travel: 140mm rear, 150mm fork
Frame: 6066 T6 Aluminium
Geometry: 66-degree headtube – High; 65.5-degree headtube – Low | 77.3-degree seattube | Choice Mode Geometry Dual Setting
Wheelset: Deed 29-inch (alloy)
Sizing: S, M, L, XL
Colour: Custom colour/decal combo options
Manufactured in-house in our own factory in Pietermaritzburg.
More details here.
SLAKLINE
Ideal for: Trail-riding, Enduro Racing & Light DH Racing
Travel: 160mm rear, 170mm fork
Frame: 6066 T6 Aluminium
Geometry: 65-degree headtube – High; 64.5-degree headtube – Low | 77.1-degree seattube | Choice Mode Geometry Dual Setting
Wheelset: Deed 29-inch (alloy)
Sizing: S, M, L, XL
Colour: Custom colour/decal combo options
Manufactured in-house in our own factory in Pietermaritzburg.
More details here.
WANT A PYGA?
Where can you buy a PYGA? There are some traditional bike shops owned by passionate bike riders that sell PYGA in South Africa (see list below), or you just make contact on the PYGA website and the PYGA crew will ensure you go from interested buyer to stoked owner in a process that makes you feel like a family member and not just a customer number…
WESTERN CAPE
Knipe Racing, Durbanville
The Bike Park at Constantia Uitsig, Cape Town
East City Cycles, Cape Town
KWAZULU-NATAL
Bike Guru, Howick
Bike Guru, Hillcrest
The Bike Mech, Umhlanga
The Trail Centre, Cascades PMB
Dura Cycles, Uvongo
GAUTENG
Sprocket and Jack, Parkhurst
TrailWolf, Taroko Trail Park
Cycloworx, Paulshof
The African MTB Team, Pretoria
WeBike, Chartwell Fourways
LIMPOPO
Flowline Cycles, Polokwane
Tzaneen Cycle Café, Tzaneen
MPUMALANGA
Shred Shed, Nelspruit
NORTH WEST PROVINCE
DT Cycles, Potchefstroom
